all day: Movies

In the new action-adventure drama “Three Kings,” George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Ice Cube and Spike Jonze play four disparate American soldiers who, during the Gulf War, find a map for a stash of Kuwaiti gold bullion stolen by the Iraqi army. Bored and disillusioned by the war, the four go AWOL on their own private mission to retrieve the gold. Once in the desert, however, the renegade soldiers learn more about themselves and the nature of war than they bargained for, and they find themselves involved in a much more noble mission. The film is directed by David O. Russell (“Spanking the Monkey,” “Flirting With Disaster”).

* “Three Kings,” which is rated R for graphic war violence, language and some sexuality, will open Friday in general release.

7:30 pm: Jazz

Can there be a better place for the breezy sounds of smooth jazz than the airy Avalon Ballroom on Catalina Island? JazzTrax, a three-weekend jazz festival, opens Friday with two shows from Kombo and Afro-Euro guitar band Native Vibe, then continues Saturday and Sunday with guitarist Chuck Loeb, saxophonist Eric Marienthal, the Rippingtons with Paul Taylor, guitarist Craig Chaquico and others. Bassist Brian Bromberg, guitarist Jeff Golub and saxophonist Dave Koz sail over Oct. 8-10. The Braxton Brothers, saxophonist Candy Dulfer and others appear Oct. 15-17.

* Catalina JazzTrax, Avalon Casino Ballroom, Catalina Island, 7:30 p.m. Also afternoon and evening concerts Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8-10 and 15-17. Individual concerts, $22 to $40. (888) 330-5252.

7:30 pm: Music

The enterprising St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra begins its season with a Mozart-Beethoven-Prokofiev program conducted by founder Thomas Neenan and featuring concertmaster Deborah Buck playing the Violin Concerto No. 2 by Prokofiev.

* St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra, St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bienveneda Ave., Pacific Palisades, 7:30 p.m. $15. (310) 573-7787, Ext. 2.

8 pm: Pop Music

England keeps sending over rock contenders and the U.S. keeps batting them back, but maybe the young band Gomez has a better chance than its counterparts, since its sound is based on American folk and blues models, with a highly individual twist and loads of vocal personality. The group arrives with its second album, “Liquid Skin.”

* Gomez, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. E., 8 p.m. $19.50. (323) 461-3673.

8:45 pm: Laser Show

The Laserium at Griffith Observatory gets into the spirit of Halloween with its new show, “Fright Lights.” The multimedia tribute to all things spooky uses 15 songs, including music from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “Ghostbusters.” Hundreds of optics, mirrors, scanners and two hot lasers are used to create the effects in the Planetarium.

* “Fright Lights” at the Laserium, Griffith Observatory, 2800 E. Observatory Road, Griffith Park. Tuesdays-Sundays, 8:45 p.m., through October. $8; seniors and children 5-12, $7. (818) 901-9405.

8 pm: Theater

La Jolla Playhouse presents the world premiere of “Wonderland,” Chay Yew’s new play about an Asian American architect and his immigrant wife who face unexpected developments as they build their American dream. Heading the cast are Tsai Chin (“The Joy Luck Club”), stage and screen veteran Sab Shimono and Alec Mapa (“M. Butterfly”).

* “Wonderland,” La Jolla Playhouse, La Jolla Village Drive and Torrey Pines Road, 8 p.m. Regular schedule: Tuesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m.; Saturdays-Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Oct. 17. $21 to $39. (858) 550-1010.

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FREEBIES: Sabor de Mexico Lindo is a festival offering carnival rides, games, food and entertainment from north and south of the border, four blocks along Pacific Boulevard, Huntington Park. Friday, 5-11 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (323) 585-1155.

Mylar Balloons premieres spoken word pieces by five artists inspired by photographs in “Nadar/Warhol: Paris/New York,” at the Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood. 7:30 p.m., Reservations required: (310) 440-7300.